Suction cleaner brush



Jan. 17, 1956 D. c. GERBER SUCTION CLEANER BRUSH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 24. 1951 ATTORNEY.

Jan 17, 1956 D. c. GERBER 2,730,753

SUCTION CLEANER BRUSH Filed July 24. 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 E i .36 l l z l 46' 47 -35 l 43 42 i 45 4*/ 9 44 4 l i 50 x "7 f V54 /7///////////////m|||mmnnnnummgm v :S ATTORNEY.

United States Patent "i SUCTIoN CLEANER BRUSH Dale C. Gerber, North Canton, hio, assigner to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application July 24, 1951, Serial No. 238,219

3 Claims. (Cl. 15-399) The present invention relates to suction cleaners and more particularly to a surface cleaning tool.

An object of the invention is to provide a cleaning tool having bristles the effective length of which can be adjusted to adapt the tool for cleaning surfaces requiring relatively stiff or flexible bristles and heavy or light pressure to remove the dirt. Another object is to provide a cleaning tool having means movable relative to the ends of the bristles to vary the effective length and thus the stiffness of the bristles. A further object is to provide a cleaning tool having means rotatable about itself to predetermined positions to adjust the effective length and stiffness of the bristles.`4 Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and drawings wherein:

Figure l is a vertical sectional view of one embodiment of the invention showing the bristle adjusting means at its upper position to provide relatively long and flexible bristles;

Figure 2 is an elevational view partly in section showing the bristle adjusting means in its lowest position to reduce the eective bristle length and provide relatively stiif bristles;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of another ernbodiment of the invention showing a sleeve rolled to its upper position to provide relatively long flexible bristles, and

Figure 4 is an elevational View partly in section showing the sleeve rolled down to its lowest position to reduce the effective bristle length and increase its stiffness.

The embodiment of the invention disclosed in Figures 1 and 2 comprises a body 10 of plastic or other suitable material having an upper portion 11 and a lower portion 12 secured together by screws 13. The upper portion has a circular top wall 14, a marginal flange 15 and an opening 16 at one end of a tubular extension 17 the opposite end of which receives an unshown hose for connection to the source of suction, as for example a suction cleaner. The lower body portion 12 has a top wall 18 provided with a depending annular wall 19 and an opening 20 in register with the opening 16, and the annular wall 19 at its lower end has a resilient bumper 21 which defines an inlet 22 communicating with the openings 20 and 16 and the tubular extension 17 for the passage of dirt from the surface being cleaned to a source of suction. A brush back 25 is mounted between the walls 18 and 14 and the depending flange 15, and secured to the brush back 25 are tufts of bristles 26 which extend around the annular wall 19 and beyond the bumper 2l for engagement with the surface to be cleaned.

Encircling the bristles 26 is a resilient ring 27 of rubber or other suitable resilient material, and which is under tension to force the bristles 26 against the annular wall 19. The ring 27 is rotatable about itself along the exterior of the bristles to the full line positions in Figures 1 and 2. When the ring 27 is in the position shown in Figure l, the effective length of the bristles 26 is relatively long from the free ends 28 to the ring 27 to 2,730,753 Patented Jan, 17, 1956 provide flexible bristles for cleaning surfaces, as lamp shades, which require only a light pressure to remove the dust. In Figure 2 the ring 27 is positioned to reduce the effective length of the bristles 26 and the latter are relatively stiff to provide a brush for cleaning surfaces having embedded dirt and requiring greater pressure to loosen the dirt.

The ring 27 can be molded to provide a. resilient preset inner surface 30 and a preset outer surface 31. A normal position of the ring is shown in Figure 1 wherein the inner and outer surfaces 30 and 31 respectively are under their molded conditions of compression and tension. If the ring 27 is rotated about itself from the position in Figure l to the dotted line position in Figure 2, the inner surface 30 will be placed under tension and the outer surface 31 under compression with the result the ring will tend to complete one revolution to restore the inner and outer surfaces to their normal molded condition shown in full lines in Figure 2. The cross sectional circumference of the ring is selected so that in one complete revolution of the ring the latter will move between the full line positions shown in Figures l and 2 and thus provide a predetermined adjustment of the length of bristles in one revolution of the ring.

The embodiment of the invention disclosed in Figures 3 and 4 comprises a body 35 having a tubular extension 36 adapted to be connected to a suction cleaner, and an annular wall 37 provided with a resilient bumper 38 dening an inlet 39 for passage of dirt laden air through the extension 36. A ring of bristles 40 is secured to a brush back 41 disposed in an annular shoulder 42 formed by the wall 37 and a flange 43. A shroud 44 of resilient material has a recess 45 receiving part of the brush back 41 and removably secures the latter in the shoulder 42 by means of the flanged portion 46 seated in a recess 47 in the body 35. The shroud 44 includes a resilient annular skirt or wall 49 terminating in a bead or ring 50 which is rotatable about itself to wrap and unwrap the skirt 49 when the ring is rotated from the full line positions in Figures 3 and 4.

When the ring 50 and skirt 49 are in the position shown in Figure 3, the bristles have their greatest length and flexibility for cleaning surfaces requiring light pressure on the bristles. If relatively rigid bristles are required, the ring is unrolled from the position in Figure 3 to the full line position in Figure 4, whereby the ring 50 forces the bristles 40 tightly against the lower end of the annular wall 37 to provide a short length of bristles from the free ends 52 to the ring 50. The skirt 45|l of the shroud prevents air leaking through the bristles above the ring 50 and concentrates flow of air beneath the rubber guard 33 into the inlet 39.

The shroud 44 can be formed of molded rubber or other suitable resilient material to provide a preset condition of compression and tension at the inner surface 54 and the outer surface 55 of the ring 50 respectively whereby the latter tends to assume a normal position wherein the inner surface 54 is adjacent the bristles 40 under its preset condition of compression. lf it is desired to extend the effective length of the bristles 40 and render them more flexible, the ring 50 is rolled upwardly from its position in Figure 4. When the ring is in the dotted line position the inner surface 54 is under tension and the outer surface 55 is compressed whereby upon continued rotation the ring 50 will automatically roll upwardly toward its normal position to place the inner and outer surfaces in their molded condition of compression and tension as shown in Figure 3. If a shorter effective bristle length is required, the ring is rolled downwardly from its position in Figure 3 and after the ring has rotated slightly over will continue rotating to complete one revolution to adjust the bristle length to that shown in Figure 4. Since the ring is rotated one complete revolution its cross sectional circumference determines the bristle adjustment.

While I have shown but two embodiments of my `invention it is to be understood that these embodiments are to be taken as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense. I do not wish to be limited to the particular structure shown -anddescribed but to include all equivalent variations thereof except as limited by the scope of the claims.

vI claim:

1. A suction cleaning tool comprising a hollow body having an outlet adapted to be connected to a source of suction, means defining a tubular member on said body communicating with said outlet and having an inlet at one end for passage of dirt vremoved from the surface being cleaned, brush bristles attached to said body and disposed exteriorly around said tubular member and having the free ends extending beyond said inlet, and resilient means around said bristles above said inlet, said resilient means including a resilient ring under tension to force said bristles against said tubular member and molded to provide preset inner and outer surfaces, said ring arranged around said bristles for rotation about itself to different positions with respect to said inlet and free ends of said bristles to vary the effective length of the latter, said inner surface preset for a .normal position adjacent said bristles whereby upon rotation through 180 degrees said inner and outer surfaces are respectively tensioned and compressed to assist in rotation of said ring through the remaining 180 degrees for a complete revolution to its normal position and effect said adjustment of the length of said bristles.

2. A suction cleaning tool comprising a hollow body having an outlet adapted to be connected to a source of suction, means defining a tubular member on said body communicating with said outlet and having an inlet at one end for passage of dirt removed from the surface being cleaned, brush bristles attached to said body and disposed exteriorly around said tubular member and having the free ends extending beyond said inlet, and resilient means around said bristles above said inlet, said resilient means including a resilient ring under tension to force said bristles against said tubular member and molded to provide preset inner and outer surfaces, said ring arranged around said bristles for rotation about itself for one complete revolution to different positions with respect to said inlet and free ends of said bristles to vary the effective length of the latter, said inner surface preset for a normal position adjacent said bristles whereby upon rotation through 180 degrees said inner andouter surfaces are respectively tensioned and compressed to urge complete revolution of said ring through the remaining '180 degrees to its normal position, the cross sectional 'circumference of said ring determining the change in the effective length of said bristles in each complete revolution of said ring.

3. A suction cleaning tool comprising a body adapted to be connected to a source of suction, a resilient sleeve attached to said body and having a beaded free end, surface engaging bristles attached to said body within said sleeve and projecting beyond said beaded end, said sleeve molded to provide preset inner and outer surfaces at said beaded end and arranged for rotation about itself along said sleeve to vary the effective length of said bristles projecting beyond said sleeve, said inner and outer surfaces of said beaded end preset for a normal position with respect to the free end of said bristles whereby upon rotation of said beaded 'end through 180 degrees said inner and outer surfaces `are respectively placed under tension and compression to assist in rotation of said beaded end through the remaining 180 degrees `for a complete krevolution to another normal position `and effect said adjustment of the length of said bristles.

References Cited i-n the iile of this patent 

